


ash sky, blue heart

by matsinko



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: (this might turn into a baseball au drabble collection), Alternate Universe - Baseball, Canon Compliant, Drabble, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-22
Updated: 2016-10-22
Packaged: 2018-08-24 01:54:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8351728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/matsinko/pseuds/matsinko
Summary: It all comes down to this. They win or they lose, they go to Koushien, or they don’t.
The Seijou vs Shiratorizawa game, set in a baseball au.





	

It’s one of those moments that time slows down, the world stops spinning; a moment that burns strong, that drowns people in the ashes left in its wake. The game’s tension resonates around the stadium, it’s in the pattering of raindrops, in the muddy, slippery wet ground and in the ash-grey sky, in the choked cheers of the teams’ supporters, of the light shake in Oikawa’s hands as he takes a sharp breath in.

This is it, this is the moment Oikawa’s whole baseball career narrows to. Last inning, bases loaded, teams are tied. He just needs one strike out,  _one more strike out_  but his luck is not on his side. It’s Ushijima at bat, the enemy team’s strongest batter, the best of the best, a clean-up hitter that any pitcher should be afraid of.

However, Oikawa is not afraid, but he hesitates, thinks for too long after he sees Iwaizumi’s call and choice of pitch.

Risky, it’s too risky. His changeup is too delicate, too uncertain when he has pitched for so long, longer than any other game in the prelims so far.

But it’s their only option. 

Iwaizumi calls for a timeout. He removes his helmet and runs the distance to the mound in a few long strides.

“How are you feeling,” he asks as he approaches.

“I’ve had better games,” is what Oikawa replies, but despite that, he keeps his chin up; there isn’t a slump in his shoulders, no frown on his face. He is an extremely resilient player and he proves that every time people start to doubt him. 

Iwaizumi lets out the breath he was holding. “I believe in you,” he says then, and his eyes narrow down on Oikawa’s, “but you should also be careful. Your pitching count exceeds 120, Oikawa, you shouldn’t be on the mound.”

Oikawa just huffs in response, a small annoyed sound escaping his lips. He averts his eyes, “And who’s gonna sub me, Iwa-chan? Yahaba? He’s just a first year,” he answers with a measured bite in his voice.

“Do you have grip?” Iwaizumi ignores his cavil and asks instead, but all he gets in return is an annoyed, “Go back to the catcher’s plate Iwa-chan.”

He sighs, turns around and just before he starts walking he mutters, “We’ll get him, Oikawa. If not now, then next time. We’ll go to Koushien.”

 _It all comes down to this, huh_ , Oikawa thinks as his eyes shift from Iwaizumi’s retreating back to Ushijima. They win or they lose, they go to Koushien, or they don’t.

He tunes out the cheering, tunes out his teammates yelling from the dugout and the umpire’s call.  _Play ball_. It’s just the rain on his skin, pouring down harder, colder, his breathing too loud to his own ears.

He gives a nod to Iwaizumi, accepting. He’s going with his call. 

Then he moves, leg going up as high as he can manage, a small shake running through his other leg, yet he still keeps a perfect balance. His exhaustion is taking over, slowly, just like the rain that’s dripping down his face, his shoulders, soaking his uniform. 

He moves his arm back, a fluid motion, a familiar feeling, back back back, and then he comes forward, his whole body moves together, form impeccable. 

But he knows he doesn’t have a good grip before he even releases, his fingers refusing to cooperate, exhaustion feeding on his strength, easing the curl of those fingers around the ball.

He releases. The movement shaky. One look at Iwaizumi’s eyes and he knows his catcher feels it too.

The clank of Ushijima’s bat resonates in his brain, shakes him to the bones.

He doesn’t need to turn around to see it goes past the fences. 

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading ☆
> 
> (come yell at me about baseball aus on [my tumblr](http://matsinko.tumblr.com))


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